Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Shares Climb 3.3% – What’s Next?

Shares of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) were up 3.3% on Thursday. The company traded as high as $179.21 and last traded at $178.40. Approximately 11,739,130 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 23% from the average session volume of 15,283,536 shares. The stock had previously closed at $172.62.

Key Headlines Impacting Qualcomm

Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Apple license renewed: Qualcomm renewed its licensing agreement with Apple, supporting the durability of its high-margin technology-licensing revenue and removing a potential source of investor uncertainty. Qualcomm renews Apple license as investors reassess Qualcomm stock
• Positive Sentiment: Important Arm legal victory: A Delaware jury found that Arm Holdings breached its licensing agreement with Qualcomm and confirmed Qualcomm’s ability to continue developing custom CPUs, including its Oryon architecture. Although damages were nominal, the verdict strengthens Qualcomm’s strategic flexibility in PCs, automotive and data-center markets. How Qualcomm’s Legal Win Over Arm Could Reshape the Long-Term Thesis for QCOM Investors
• Positive Sentiment: AI and diversification potential: Analysts continue to focus on Qualcomm’s effort to expand beyond handsets into AI, automotive and data-center chips. The company’s wireless leadership and strong free cash flow provide resources to fund that transition. Intel vs. Qualcomm: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor debate remains centered on execution: Qualcomm’s AI repositioning has attracted interest, but investors are waiting for evidence that newer businesses can offset slower smartphone demand and generate meaningful growth. Qualcomm: Navigating The Shift From Handsets To AI
• Negative Sentiment: Growing custom-chip competition: A reported potential ByteDance partnership with MediaTek highlights intensifying competition for AI data-center chip opportunities, potentially limiting Qualcomm’s ability to establish a foothold in the market. QCOM, AVGO, NVDA Stocks In Focus As ByteDance Reportedly Closes In On A MediaTek Pact For AI Data Center Chips
• Negative Sentiment: Handset weakness is still a concern: Critics argue Qualcomm is caught between a declining or slower-growing smartphone business and an AI strategy that has yet to prove its scale, making upcoming quarterly results especially important. Qualcomm at $175: The Narrative Shift Sending Capital Out The Door

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

QCOM has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Qualcomm from $198.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Zacks Research cut shares of Qualcomm from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. Piper Sandler began coverage on Qualcomm in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $190.00 price target for the company. Susquehanna cut their price objective on Qualcomm from $190.00 to $160.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price objective on Qualcomm from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, twenty-one have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $204.10.

Qualcomm Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $190.50 billion, a PE ratio of 20.65, a P/E/G ratio of 3.98 and a beta of 1.65. The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The company’s 50 day moving average is $174.58 and its 200-day moving average is $179.02.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The wireless technology company reported $2.21 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.23 by ($0.02). Qualcomm had a net margin of 21.01% and a return on equity of 38.36%. The business had revenue of $9.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.69 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.77 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. Qualcomm has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.250 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Qualcomm Incorporated will post 7.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Akash Palkhiwala sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.85, for a total transaction of $457,125.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 18,184 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,324,944.40. This represents a 12.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Cristiano Amon sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $2,000,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 177,568 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $35,513,600. The trade was a 5.33% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders sold 29,131 shares of company stock valued at $5,441,226. Company insiders own 0.05% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Qualcomm

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of QCOM. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its holdings in Qualcomm by 17,000.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 171 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares during the period. ABS Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Qualcomm during the second quarter worth $34,000. ABS Direct Equity Fund LLC bought a new position in shares of Qualcomm in the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new position in Qualcomm in the first quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC boosted its stake in Qualcomm by 191.7% in the second quarter. Burk Holdings LLC now owns 210 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 74.35% of the company’s stock.

Qualcomm Company Profile

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a technology company headquartered in San Diego, California, that develops wireless communications technologies, semiconductors and related software. Its products support mobile devices, connected computing, automotive systems, industrial equipment and consumer electronics.

Qualcomm’s semiconductor business operates primarily through its Qualcomm CDMA Technologies segment. Its offerings include Snapdragon platforms and systems-on-chip, cellular modems, radio-frequency components, connectivity products, and processors for smartphones, personal computers, extended-reality devices, vehicles and the Internet of Things.